Panel and stile construction

ABSTRACT

An extruded stile is shaped as a shallow channel within which is a relatively deep channel. The narrow outer walls are rigid and at right angles to the web, and the wider inner walls normally flare outwardly and exhibit spring action when forced inwardly to parallel relation. The outer portions of the inner walls are outwardly offset from their inner portions, and their edges terminate in inwardly turned lips. The edges of decorative face sheets of hollow core panels are captured between the outer and inner walls, with the offset portions of the inner walls forced to parallel relation and thereby outwardly biasing the sheets. Within its inner walls, the stile matingly receives a rod or tubing that is integral with stands or casters, and also splines for supporting panels end to end. The space between confronting outer and inner walls is also adapted to nestably receive an extrusion with a slotted wall to support shelving. Interlocking the stile and face sheets is effected by bonding the offset portions of the inner walls to the face sheets, by locking elongated bars at their ends to the lips of the inner edges of opposite sides of the panel, or by nailing or screwing the web to an interior frame or block. On its outer surface the web is provided with parallel grooves to receive seal strips, and the web forms a support surface for a decorative face strip.

United States Patent Sherwood [54] PANEL AND STILE CONSTRUCTION [72]Inventor: John C. Sherwood, La Crescenta,

Calif.

[73] Assignee: Sher Walls Inc., Santa Fe Springs,

Calif.

[22] Filed: Nov. 2, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 86,219 V [52] US. Cl. ..52/36,52/239, 52/475, 52/479, 52/585, 52/620, 160/135 [51] Int. Cl. ..A47b5/00, A04g3/03 [58] Field of Search.....52/620.36, 627, 584, 481, 29,52/584, 620, 627, 481, 585, 239; 160/135, 351

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,097,484 1 1/ 1937 Winslow..52/620 2,833,003 5/1958 Bourne ..52/620 2,692,664 10/1954 Temes..52/627 3,364,645 l/ 1968 Wenzelberger ..52/627 3,392,497 7/1968Cushman ..52/584 3,328,933 7/1967 Lutze ..52/620 3,110,131 11/1963Jeffress ..52/585 3,565,152 2/1971 Cohn et al. ..160/351 3,184,0745/1965 Baermann ..52/36 3,349,519 10/1967 Nehlig ..52/312 Emmons et a1..52/585 [4 Oct. 24, 1972 [57] ABSTRACT An extruded stile is shaped as ashallow channel within which is a relatively deep channel. The narrowouter walls are rigid and at right angles to the web, and the widerinner walls normally flare outwardly and exhibit spring action whenforced inwardly to parallel relation. The outer portions of the innerwalls are outwardly offset from their inner portions, and their edgesterminate in inwardly turned lips. The edges of decorative face sheetsof hollow core panels are captured between the outer and inner walls,with the offset portions of the inner walls forced to parallel relationand thereby outwardly biasing the sheets. Within its inner walls, thestile matingly receives a rod or tubing that is integral with stands orcasters, and also splines for supporting panels end. to end. The spacebetween confronting outer and inner walls is also adapted to nestablyreceive an extrusion with a slotted wall to support shelving.Interlocking the stile and face sheets is effected by bonding the offsetportions of the inner walls to the face sheets, by locking elongatedbars at their ends to the lips of the inner edges of opposite sides ofthe panel, or by nailing or screwing the web to an interior frame orblock. On its outer surface the web is provided with parallel grooves toreceive seal strips, and the web forms a support surface for adecorative face strip.

5 Claims, 12 Drawing Figures PATENTED um 24 I972 SHEET 1 BF 2Inn-Bunions" Flill O f INVEVTOR.

PATENTED um 24 m2 SHEET 2 BF 2 INYENTOR. Jay/v 6, 5505? 47mwy PANEL ANDSTILE CONSTRUCTION BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION face sheets of the panel.With such edge fittings, the

panel must be provided with separate means to support the panel in avariety of ways, as where a panel is to be supported on casters orstands, or where two or more such panels are to be mounted on end toachieve greater height. Such fittings also do not serve as integralstructural parts of the panel capable of coaction both to keep thestiles and panels interlocked and in mutual supporting relation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention embraces a hollow core panelhaving an edge stile construction having edge walls lapping the edges offace sheets and inner spring walls of substantial width which areself-biased against the inner surfaces of the face sheets. Also embracedby this invention are such panels with elongated elements lockinglyengaging the inner ends of the inner walls, and rods and splines shapedto be matingly received within spring walls. Further, this inventionembracessuch a panel wherein the stile is substantially continuousaround the panel. Also embraced is the structure and method wherein theface sheets and spring walls are bonded together. i I i BRIEFDESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a panel andstile construction of the invention, and showing interlocking means inthe form of an elongated plate;

FIG. 2 is a front elevation view of a pair of panels on end;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 3--3 of FIG. 2, showinga cooperative stile and spline arrangement of the invention forsupporting panels end to end;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 2, showing acooperative stile and insert for supporting a panel on casters orstands;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary front elevation view of a panel with slottedmembers for shelving;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of the panel method andconstruction whereby the face sheets are bonded to the stile; and

FIG. 12 is a fragmentary sectional view of a'panel of the inventionwherein a stile shaped to receive a relatively thick face sheet isadapted to accommodate a substantially thinner face sheet.

DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS Referring to FIG. 1, a panel 10is shown which has decorative face sheets 12, e.g., laminated plywoodwith a hardwood veneer on one surface, and stiles 14 which cap thevertical edges of the sheets 12. The panel 10 preferably is of thehollow core type, wherein the space between the face sheets includeslightweight material, e. g., expanded cardboard honeycomb.

The stiles 14 are extruded members (e.g., aluminum) of uniqueconstruction. Such construction has the appearance of a shallow channelwithin which is a relatively deep channel. The-stile has a rigid web 18which terminates in narrow rigid walls 20 at right angles thereto, andrelatively wide walls 22 with spring action that are spaced inwardly ofthe walls 20, such wider walls terminating in lips 24 bent inwardly atright angles thereto. The portions of the web from which the springwalls 22 extend are of enlarged cross section, and are provided withgrooves 28 in their outer surfaces which are suitably shaped to matinglyreceive and interlock with sealing strips 30'. Such enlarged portionsare formed with chamfers 32 which form the transitions between the walls22 and the portions of the web from which the walls 20 extend.

As shown, the outer portions of the spring walls 22 are slightly offsetrelative to the inner portions thereof, and preferably the transitions36 between such offset portions form obtuse angles therewith. The springwalls 22 normally flare outwardly, as indicated by the dotted linepositions thereof. Accordingly, the walls 22 are adapted to be forcedinwardly to parallel relation in asof FIG. 5, partly in section,illustrating the cooperative structural relation of the stile, slottedmembers and panels;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a panel wherein the top and verticaledges of the face sheets are fitted with a stile of the invention thatis formed as a single element;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary perspective view, partly in section, of a comerportion of the panel of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken along the line 9-9 of FIG. 7;

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary perspective view, partly in section, of a stileof the invention wherein a decorative face strip is bonded to the web ofthe stile;

FIG. 11 is a sectional viewof a hollow core panel of the invention inassembly, to. aid in explaining the sembling the panel, and thereaftersuch walls exert a constant outward bias against the face sheets 12.

For the panel shown in FIGS. 11-4, the stile dimensions and face sheetthicknesses are such that the outer faces of the offset portions of thewalls 22 are in surface-to-surface contact with the inner surfaces ofthe face sheets 12. Also, the inner surfaces of the narrow walls 20 arein surface-to-surface contact with the outer surfaces of the face sheetsadjacent their edges. The offset portions of the spring walls 22 areforced to parallel relation when the stiles are mounted on the edges ofthe face sheets as shown. In such assembly, the portions of the facesheets extending between the chamfers 32 and transitions 36 are spacedfrom the confronting portions of the walls 22. Forcing the stiles intoplace causes the inner corners of the face sheets to ride against thechamfers 32 and be forced outwardly to force the outer surfaces of theface sheets against the inner surfaces of the narrow walls 20. Also, thespring action of the walls 22 aid in maintaining such surfaceto-surfacecontact with the walls 20.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-4, the face sheets and stiles areinterlocked by bars 40. As shown in FIG. 1, the ends of the bar 40extend into the spaces between the offset portions of the walls 22. Inthe vicinity of the lips 24 of the stiles, the thickness of the bar isless than the distance between the lips, and the width of the bar isgreater than the distance between the lips. At each end, the bar isprovided with opposed notches 42.

' For locking purposes, after the side stiles are in place and beforethe ends are capped, the bar is moved to the desired position and turnedso that its notches 42 straddle the lips 24. The notches 42 preferablyare shaped and spaced so that their walls engage the lips and exertforces thereon tending to force the stiles inwardly. The frictional fitis sufficient to insure that the bars 40 remain in place whenv they areturned to the locking position. As indicated in FIG. 2, two such bars 40spaced below the top and above the bottom of the panel are ample tomaintain the desired interlocking relationship. Turning such a bar canbe effected by hand where the space between the sheets 12 is wideenough. Otherwise, it can be turned by a suitable tool inserted throughan opening in a web and adapted to engage the end of the bar to turn it.

The two panels in FIG. 2 are splined together via the aligned stiles attheir abutting ends. Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, each spline in onearrangement takes the form of coextensive blocks of wood 50 and tubing52 between the walls 22, and screw members 54 which extend through theweb 18 and tubing 52 and are threaded into the block 50. To assemble thepanels end to end, one-half of the lengths of the block 50 and tubing 52are inserted in the lower end of the upper panel and secured by screwmembers 54in the manner shown in FIG. 3. Then the panels are aligned andmoved together withthe other half of the blocks 50 and tubing 52inserted into the stiles of the lower panel, where they are secured inplace by screw members 54.

Again referring to FIG. 2, the lower end of the bottom panel is shownprovided with casters 58, 60. Preferably the caster 60 is one of twoidentical casters spaced along and extending from a plate 62. Suchcasters 60 together with such single caster 58 make it possible toeasily move the panel to any desired position, while at the same timeproviding a three-point support to prevent the panei from tipping.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 4, the caster 58 is mounted on the lower end ofa support rod 64 which extends into the panel 10. As best seen in FIG.4, the rod 64 slidably extends into a block 66 which is pressed into thelower end of the stile 14. The block 66 for this purpose is shown as asolid element, the lower end of which is provided with a bore toslidably receive the rod 64. It will be understood that the plate 62which supports the two casters 60 is provided with a central rod that issimilarly disposed in the lower end of a block mounted in the lower endof the stile at the left side of the panel.

The splines and caster support blocks above described are illustrativeof hardware of the invention. It will be understood that this inventionembraces any of a variety of elements cooperatively arranged with thestiles for desired purposes. For example, an arrangement similar to theblock 50 and tubing 52 shown in FIG. 3 may be employed for supportingthe casters. In such arrangement, a threaded nut may be welded into thelower end of the tubing 52, and the caster support rod may be threadedinto the nut. Similarly, a solid block may be used in lieu of the block50 and tubing 52 shown in FIG. 3 for the spline. Further, stile insertsat the bottom of the panel may be provided for stands and like supports.

FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate additional hardware cooperatively functioningwith, the stile for adapting a panel to support shelving. As best seenin FIG. 6, an extruded tubular member has a portion that fits betweenthe narrow wall 20 of the stile and the confronting portion of thespring wall 22, and in this example includes a wall 72 against the innersurface of the wall 20, a lateral wall 74 having its edge abutting thespring wall 22, and a lateral wall 75 that extends to the chamfer 32.

The extrusion 70 has an exterior wall 78 which is flush with the wall 20of the stile, and which has spaced slots 80 adjacent the edge of thewall 20. The slotted wall 78 terminates in an intumed lip 81 which abutsthe edges of the face sheets 12'. This construction provides an openingbehind the slots 80 so that hooks 82 of shelf elements 84 can enter theslots and latch to the back of the slotted wall 78. In this arrangement,the face sheets 12 abut the outer portions of the spring walls 22 in themanner previously described in connection with FIG.

the seal strips 30 provide effective means whereby panels 10 can beplaced side by side to form a temporary dividing wall for physically andacoustically separating two portions of a room from each other. When twopanels are placed side by side in edge abutment, seal strips in one ofthe stiles are sufficient for this purpose.

Referring to FIGS. 7-9, a panel is shown with a wraparound stile of theinvention. In this embodiment, interiorly of the panel is a rigidrectangular frame to which the face sheets 12 are attached. By way ofexample, the panel may be assembled by placing one face sheet on a flatsupport and spraying glue on its inner surface. The frame 16 is placedon the glued surface and expanded cardboard honeycomb is set on theglued surface within the frame. Then the inner surface of the other facesheet is sprayed with glue and that sheet is placed on the frame.Weights are then placed on the top face sheet until the glue dries andeffects a firm bond between the face sheets and the portions of theframe and the honeycomb contacted thereby. Then the stile is secured inplace around the edges of the face sheets.

The stile is effectively wedged into the position shown in FIGS. 8 and9, and this may be done by manually compressing the walls 22 at one endto insert them between the face sheets, and thereafter striking the webat points along its length, as with a rubber mallet, to force the wallsinwardly. To facilitate the desired wrapping, the walls 20, 22 arenotched adjacent the web where it is desired to bend the web so as toplace the adjacent portions of the stile at right angles. Thus, thewalls at the upper comers of the panel have miter joints.

After the stile is secured in place as above described, it is staked tothe frame 16. Thus, as shown in FIG. 9, a screw 54 is passed through thecenter of the web and screwed into the frame. It will be recognized thata similar attachment is made at the opposite edge of the frame. And inorder that the panel may be adapted to have casters or stands with rodsinserted into the lower ends of the stile, the screw connections 54preferably tion to be latched by similar locksin another panel.

In the panel shown in FIG. 7, the continuous web of the stile enhancesthe aesthetic appearance of the panel. The panel is thus ideally suitedto be used in a position where its edges are exposed to view. Further inthis connection, two or more such panels may be locked together and usedas a decorative partition, e.g., to form a backdrop or alcove for areceptionists desk in a large room. In such case, the sealing stripsabove described may only be used between the abutting edges of adjacentpanels.

The stile of this invention is also adapted to support a decorative facestrip on its web 18. Referring to FIG. 10, the portions of the enlargedcross section in which the grooves 28 are formed are raised above thecenter portion of the web, whereby shoulders are provided at the edgesof such center portion. In FIG. 10, a decorative face strip 95 is placedbetween the shoulders and bonded to the web. Thus, for a panel formedwith such face strips and face sheets 12 as above described, the onlyexposed metal parts are the walls and the edges of the web from whichthese walls extend.

FIG. 11 illustrates another novel panel structure and method of assemblyof this invention. In this example,

one face sheet is placed with its decorative face on a flat support, andits unfinished surface is sprayed with an adhesive. Then the stiles 14are manipulated to place their lower walls around the edges of thesprayed sheet and to bring the outer faces of the offset portions of thewalls 22 against the sheet, and in such a manner that the wet adhesiveis not removed in the area contacted by such offset wall portions. Thisis done by cocking the stiles outwardly to place the edges of the sheetin the space behind the walls, and then rocking the stiles inwardly tobring the faces of the offset wall portions against the face sheet.

Expanded honeycomb 96, e.g., of cardboard is then placed on thesprayedsurface between the stiles, and a rod 98 is set on the honeycomb 96. Thetop face sheet has its unfinished surface sprayed with an adhesive andplaced against the rod 98, whereupon the edges of the sheet are forceddown and tucked under the edges of the upper walls 20 of the stiles.Suitable means (not shown) are employed to prevent the curved face sheetfrom forcing the stiles from parallel relation. The rod 98 is preferablyshaped so as not to damage the face sheet when its edges are forceddown.

Once the top face sheet is positioned as shown, the rod is turned orotherwise manipulated to remove it from beneath the face sheet. The facesheet thereupon flattens, thereby forcing the walls 22 of the stiles toparallel relation and causing the sheet to be bonded to the upper walls22 and the upper edges of the honeycomb 96.

The stile structure facilitates the movement of the curved face sheetinto position. As the sheet flattens its inner comer edges ride alongthe surfaces of inner portions of the walls 22. As the flatteningproceeds, the inner surface of the sheet adjacent its edges ride on theouter portions of the transitions 36. When the sheet reaches its flatposition, it comes to rest in surface-tosurface confrontation with theoffset wall portions. Accordingly,lnone of the bonding material in thisregion is scraped away, whereby, all confronting surface portions aresecuredly bonded together.

In a modification of the above-described method, the outer surfaces ofthe offset wall portions and the edges of the honeycomb are initiallycoated with adhesive which is allowed to dry. This is the type ofadhesive that is sprayed on the unfinished surfaces of the face sheets.Bonding is'immediate upon the dry adhesive contacting the wet adhesiveon the face sheets.

FIG. 12 illustrates how a stile of this invention accommodates facesheets of difierent thicknesses. The face sheet shown in phantom at isassembled like those previously described in FIGS. l-4, i.e., theunfinished surface of the face sheet 100 abuts the outer surface of theoffset portion of the wall 22 of the stile. To adapt the stile tosupport a thinner face sheet 102, a strip 104 is bonded to the outersurface of the offset wall portion. The strip 104 is of a thickness thatis the difference between the face sheets 100, I02. Accordingly,the thinface sheet 102 abuts the outer face of the strip 104 and is thusoutwardly biased by the wall 22 in the same manner as the thicker sheet100.

Iclaim:

l. A panel comprising: a pair of spaced parallel sheets;

extruded stiles at opposite edges of said sheets, each tile being shapedas a channel having a rigid web and side walls, a pair of spring wallsfixed to each web between said side walls, said spring walls havinginner portions contiguous to said webs and outer portions remate fromsaid webs, both portions being substantially wider than said side walls,the space between each side wall and the inner portion of the springwall adjacent thereto being wider than the thickness of the sheets, theouter portions of said spring walls being outwardly offset from theinner portions thereof, said spring walls being normally divergent butbeing held in generally parallel relation by said sheets, the outersurfaces of said offset portions being flat and in face-to-face contactwith said sheets, whereby said spring walls exert outward biasdistributed over the surface areas thereof in contact with said sheetsto prevent distortion of said sheets, and means between said parallelsheets and between said stiles clamping said stiles and sheets togetherin assembled relation interlocking said stiles and sheets.

2. The panel of claim 1, wherein said interlocking means includes anelongated bar having its ends located between the spring arms of saidstiles,

the edges of the spring arms of each stile terminating in inturned lips,

and said bars at each end having spaced notches in which the opposedlips are captured.

3. The panel of claim 1, wherein the remate edges of the offset portionsof the spring walls have inturned lips, a block between the offset stileportions said block being engaged by the lips and being captured betweensuch offset stile portions; and means securing the block to the adjacentweb.

4. The panel of claim 3, wherein the blocks are spline members havingportions extending out of the stiles at one end of said panel; K

the portions of said spline members projecting outwardly of said stilesbeing adapted to extend between the offset portions of the spring wallsof the stiles at one end of a similar panel;

and means securing said spline members to the portions of the stiles inwhich they are located,

whereby two panels may be secured together. I

1. A panel comprising: a pair of spaced parallel sheets; extruded stilesat opposite edges of said sheets, each tile being shaped as a channelhaving a rigid web and side walls, a pair of spring walls fixed to eachweb between said side walls, said spring walls having inner portionscontiguous to said webs and outer portions remate from said webs, bothportions being substantially wider than said side walls, the spacebetween each side wall and the inner portion of the spring wall adjacentthereto being wider than the thickness of the sheets, the outer portionsof said spring walls being outwardly offset from the inner portionsthereof, said spring walls being normally divergent but being held ingenerally parallel relation by said sheets, the outer surfaces of saidoffset portions being flat and in face-to-face contact with said sheets,whereby said spring walls exert outward bias distributed over thesurface areas thereof in contact with said sheets to prevent distortionof said sheets, and means between said parallel sheets and between saidstiles clamping said stiles and sheets together in assembled relationinterlocking said stiles and sheets.
 2. The panel of claim 1, whereinsaid interlocking means includes an elongated bar having its endslocated between the spring arms of said stiles, the edges of the springarms of each stile terminating in inturned lips, and said bars at eachend having spaced notches in which the opposed lips are captured.
 3. Thepanel of claim 1, wherein the remate edges of the offset portions of thespring walls have inturned lips, a block between the offset stileportions said block being engaged by the lips and being captured betweensuch offset stile portions; and means securing the block to the adjacentweb.
 4. The panel of claim 3, wherein the blocks are spline membershaving portions extending out of the stiles at one end of said panel;the portions of said spline members projecting outwardly of said stilesbeing adapted to extend between the offset portions of the spring wallsof the stiles at one end of a similar panel; and means securing saidspline members to the portions of the stiles in which they are located,whereby two panels may be secured together.
 5. The panel of claim 1,including, at one face of the panel adjacent each edge thereof, a rigidextruded member located in the space between confronting portions of therigid wall and spring wall, each extruded member having a wall outwardlyof the edge of the rigid wall which has an edge abutting the spring walland abutted by the edge of the face sheet, and said extruded membershaving spaced slots adjacent the edges of the rigid walls for receivinghooks on shelves to be releasably attached to the panel.